Improvement in razor-strops



UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcn JOHN B. LUCAS, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAZOR-STROPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,011, dated May 20,1873; application filed March 19, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN B. LUCAS, of Portland, in the county ofCumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Itazor-Strops and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to-the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section. Fig. 2 is an enlargedsectional view of the strop or leather portion of my invention, with theinside strip of cloth or paper to take the strain and prevent thestretching of the leather.

Same letters show like parts.

a is the handle of my improved strop. b is a metal rod or pieceprojecting therefrom, as shown, with the screw'thread c thereon. d d arethose portions upon the flat surfaces of which the razor is drawn inorder to be sharpened. e 6 show two end pieces of proper shape, aroundwhich the strop d is carried, which form also the means of keeping theparts d d sufficiently tight. They also serve to separate the parts d d,and give shape to the same, as shown. The piece 6 is attached to a smallcylinder, f, which has a female screw, g, to receive the screw on themetal rod b projecting from the handle. h shows a rod, which has rigidlyattached to its further end. the end piece 6. As shown in Fig. 1,-theother end, within the cylinder f, rests against the forward end of themetal rod 1).

The strop (l is tightened by so turning the handle a that the rod bshall enter the cylinder f and pushoutwardly the rod h. By reversing themotion, the strop d will be slackened.

When packed for transportation, or when not in use, the handle a can beentirely unscrewed from the cylinder f, and being placed by the side ofthe strop will effect an economy of space.

To prevent stretching of the strop 01 when tightened for use, I employthe filling or inner band k, which is made of strong Manila paper, orpaper and cloth combined, around which is wound the outer coveringofleather It will be observed that by the use of the above-named filling amuch lighter strap can be produced than when a metal or other strip isemployed.

It will thus be seen that the object of this invention is to produce arazor-strop capable of being tightened and slackened without stretching,lighter in weight than when employing a metal strip, and capable ofbeing packed in a small space in consequence of the removable handle.Another advantage of having the screw-rod b and the rod It not united,but their ends merely pressing together in the cylinder f, is this: Whenthe handle is turned around in order to tighten the strop d, the rod hdoes not revolve. When it does revolve it has a tendency, in consequenceof being connected with and pressing against the end piece at thefurther end of the strop, to twist the strop. In my invention, it willbe seen,

there is no such tendency, because, as before described, the rod hissimply pushed straight outward. The end of the strop nearest the handleis prevented from turning when the handle is turned by being heldbetween the thumb and forefinger.

I am aware of the patent granted to O. B.

Howard, July 25,1871; but I do not claim" such an arrangement andcombination as is therein shown, inasmuch as mine differs from his inboth construction and operation. arrangement for tightening the strop inmy invention differs from that of Howard, as does also the filling whichI employ. I also disclaim the device shown in the patent of Chas. L.Fowle, November 28, 1848.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The combination, with the strop d having the filling 70, made of strongManila paper, or paper and cloth combined, as described, of the handlea, screw-rod [2, cylinder f, end pieces 6 e, and rod h, as herein setforth, and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the'foregoing have hereunto set my hand.

' Witnesses: JOHN B.'LUGAS.

WM. H. CLIFFORD, FRANK H. JORDAN.

The I

